Key stages 34: how did we get all of today’s ideas about the universe? Mainly through a series of stumbles and guesses, backed up by measurements.
Look at some of the key theories mentioned in the text and see what led scientists to their discoveries. What ideas did they have? What evidence was collected? Many years ago scientists thought everything revolved around the Earth - what changed their minds? What role did scientists such as Galileo and Copernicus have?
KS5: what experiments have been done to test Einstein’s theories that time runs slower near heavy objects or is bent by large masses? How would you test the predictions of string theory? What might it be like to live in world with 10 dimensions? How would you feel if you only had two dimensions? Find out more about the experiments taking place to try and confirm string theory. Are the vast costs involved worth the effort? The UK’s Research Body for particle physics and astronomy has excellent free schools resources available, at www.pparc.ac.uk. See also the European Nuclear Research Centre’s work www.cern.ch and also how LISA will work http:lisa.jpl.nasa.gov
